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Occasionally, I like to read, and I like to read in bed. Sometimes, I want to read in a dark place where I shouldn't disturb others.

To accomplish these tasks, I needed a fairly utilitarian but fundamental tool - a light. Specifically a book light. I thought this would be easy to find. It wasn't. I went through about 4 contraptions before settling on this one. I learned that no book light will ever be as good as a well lit room for reading. But I did settle on something quite satisfactory, the Mighty Bright Triple LED.

Here is why this is my tool of choice:

1. Three, very bright, white LED bulbs. These do not burn out (or at least for a few decades) and provide much brighter illumination than regular incandescent bulbs. The trio is a good number too - three bulbs is just about perfect at illuminating any standard size book. you'll get full page coverage here - no fiddling with the light to illuminate each paragraph.

2. Extensible and adjustable. You can position this just about any way you need. It's not like bendable wire, but it has a surprising amount of adjustability to get a good lighting angle. The main arm telescopes up and down, as well as swinging forwards and backwards. The Lamp head (that contains the bulbs) can rotate up and down 180 degrees, and turn 360 from right to left.

3. Lightweight/compact, with battery and outlet adapter options. This is much lighter than your standard paperback book, and about a quarter of the size. Batteries, which last for about 3-4 weeks with heavy daily reading, make it great for traveling. The ability to plug it into an outlet is useful, as the wire is not very obtrusive.

There is one BIG con though. This light will start to act wonky after about 10 months or so. Mine now only lights up after fiddling with the lamp head for a few seconds. If the lamp head is moved slightly, the light blacks out and I must fiddle again. I can deal with it, by being careful not to adjust the arm or head once it is set up properly.

If you can deal with that con and want a book light, get this one. It's the best i've found so far, and it's fairly priced.

Updated Mar 31, 2007

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Sharp PW-E550 Electronic Dictionary

First to recommend

Description

Many of the literati shun electric dictionaries - and why not? They have no warmth, no heft, no actual paper. But they're making a mistake.

This little gizmo contains the entire:

1. New Oxford American Dictionary - (with 250,000 definitions)
2. Oxford American Thesaurus of Current English - (with 350,000 synonyms)
3. Garner's Modern American Usage

Each dictionary definition is written in the concise yet exceptionally informative style that Oxford is known for, and includes etymological information - great for impressing friends (well, certain ones.). With 250,000 entries, you can easily look up just about anything your likely to come across.

Here is a list of why this device is so great:

1. Size - compact, about a quarter of the size of a paperback book
2. Ease of use - simply type in the word and press enter. Instantly get the definition.
3. Instant on - there is no boot-up time; it simply turns on.
4. Great battery life - a single AAA will last you months.
5. History list - so you can check the last 20 words you looked up
6. Zoom key - 2 text sizes, for those who don't like reading from small LCD screens
7. Super-Jump function - when you are in a definition screen, use the arrows to select another word, and one press will define it.

Aspiring literary geeks, this is for you. For extra points,you can photocopy the pronunciation guide in the manual and tape it to the top and bottom for easy reference. I think a did a pretty good job with that, though the tape is starting to peel.....truly the epitome of literary geekdom.

Updated May 6, 2007

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Page Points Bookmarkers - by Levenger

First to recommend

Description

While you could use the sticky page markers that sell for 99 cents, these are much more durable and likely to stay where you keep them. The pointed ends make it easy to mark a specific sentence. They come in a nice tin, and you have a choice of bronze or steel for their color.

Updated Jun 8, 2007

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Book Bungees - by Levenger

First to recommend

Description

What makes these bookmarks stand out from the crowd are their bungee-type strap. They keep your place in your book securely - no need to worry about these falling out. The strap will also keep the cover tightly closed, so you can minimize the risk of damage - perfect if you're the type to hastily cram a book into your bag and go.

Instructions are printed on each Bookbungee, which aren't very complicated. You do have to make sure not to let the strap twist while closing it, much like a seat-belt. Other than that, they are pretty straightforward.

The only con I have with this item is the fact that they are so pricey - normally $30 for a set of 5. Levenger occasionally has sales though, because right now, they are going for $20. If you can get them reasonably, I recommend them.

Updated Mar 31, 2007

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LibraryThing.com

7 people recommended this item

Description

Do you like to read? Social networking? Browsing other people's bookshelves?

Well LibraryThing is for you. It's a cool little site that lets you enter in the contents of your book collection. You can then view people with similar taste, complete opposites, or just find a random gem of a book. It has great features to show you books you might like (based on your submissions) and those a little off the beaten path.

It's a cool tool if you're serious about reading and your collection. Try it out - it's free!

Updated Feb 21, 2008